Gel-like crosslinked organopolysiloxanes are used, for example, in cosmetics and in junction coatings for electrical wiring, but are all solid substances that lack flowability. Hence, they do not dissolve in solvents, and a long grinding operation is required to formulate them in cosmetics or resins.
Silicone oil dispersions of silicone gels are used in cosmetics. Such products are obtained by first creating a solid silicone gel via an addition reaction, and then grinding up the gel while dispersing it in a silicone oil. This production method is troublesome to carry out. Moreover, in the solid silicone gel, even if unreacted functional groups are present near the regions that have become solid due to the reaction, the reaction proceeds no further. As a result, the crosslink density differs each time that production is carried out-even using the same starting materials, thus making the physical properties difficult to control.
In plastics, a silicone oil or silicone gum having a high degree of polymerization is dispersed in the resin and used to increase the flowability during molding or for such purposes as to prevent blemishes or confer slip properties. Silicone oils with a low degree of polymerization have a flowability increasing effect and exhibit excellent slip properties, but because the silicone oil bleeds out onto the surface, the surface becomes slippery. Hence, gum-like silicones having a high degree of polymerization are used, but uniformly dispersing such silicones, such as by masterbatching beforehand, is troublesome to carry out. Also, because most of the silicone added gets buried within the resin, only a portion takes part in action at the surface, resulting in a poor efficiency. At the same time, when a solid silicone gel or resin is used, given the many ingredients that collect within the resin and their poor compatibility with the resin, dispersion is poor, which often lowers the mechanical strength. Moreover, the surface modifying effects are poor.
No methods for synthesizing compounds having physical properties intermediate to those of silicone gels and silicone oils have been reported in the literature.
Prior art relating to this invention includes the following document.